The US president has revealed he ignores the advice of his doctors, in part because "I'm a little superstitious".
US President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal in an interview that he takes a higher dose of aspirin than his doctors have recommended, blaming that for the visible hand bruises that have generated renewed questions about his health.
"They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don't want thick blood pouring through my heart," Trump, 79, said of why he takes a larger dose.
"I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?"
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"I'm a little superstitious," the US president added, noting that he's been taking aspirin for 25 years.
The interview appeared to be one of the most extensive conversations Trump has had with journalists on his health, as scrutiny has intensified this year over his age, fitness for office and whether he's being sufficiently transparent with his medical information.
Trump has long had bruising on his right hand, which CNN has reported predated his return to the White House.
But it drew more attention after he began trying to cover it with heavy makeup and bandages and shield it from cameras with his other hand.
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Observers have also raised concerns about swelling in his legs and his appearing to doze during public events.
Trump's physician, Dr Sean Barbabella, told the Journal that the president takes 325 milligrams of aspirin daily.
According to Mayo Clinic, a low dose of aspirin, which "can help prevent heart attack or stroke," ranges from 75 to 100 milligrams and 81 milligrams is commonly recommended.
The Mayo Clinic also says that for aspirin therapy, the daily dose "is usually between" 75 and 325 milligrams.
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Aspirin helps thin the blood, which can prevent clots from forming, but it also comes with the risk of excessive bleeding.
In recent years, medical guidelines stopped recommending daily aspirin for many adults because the risks outweigh the benefits, and some suggest halting aspirin therapy entirely when patients are in their 70s.
CNN reached out to the White House for comment on Trump's interview with the Journal.
Across a series of events last week, Trump, who last year became the oldest president to take the oath of office, appeared with discolouration or light bruising on the back of his left hand.
In addition to the more persistent bruise on his right hand that has been visible for months.
The White House has previously explained that the bruising on his right hand is due to constant handshaking, along with a regular regimen of aspirin that can make such discolouration more common.
While medical experts told CNN there is no fresh cause for concern, the bruising raised questions about White House's reluctance to be more transparent about the US president's health.
In the interview, Trump also discussed a scan he underwent in October, which he previously described to reporters as an MRI.
At the time, the president gave little detail about the procedure or what physicians were seeking to explore, telling reporters they should ask his doctors.
When asked about the scan by the Journal, Trump said it wasn't an MRI but rather a CT scan.
Barbabella told the Journal it was done "to definitively rule out any cardiovascular issues."
"It wasn't an MRI," Trump said. "It was less than that. It was a scan."
Earlier this month, Barbabella released a memo saying the October medical imaging was of Trump's cardiovascular and abdominal systems and that both showed "perfectly normal" results.
Trump similarly addressed steps he has taken to treat other conditions, including swelling in his lower legs that the White House announced in July was due to chronic venous insufficiency, a common condition frequently found in older people.
Trump told the Journal he tried compression socks but "didn't like them." He also suggested he was not interested in taking up regular exercise.
"I just don't like it. It's boring," Trump said. "To walk on a treadmill or run on a treadmill for hours and hours like some people do, that's not for me."
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